Any ideas? Anyone ever have/been to one? What did you like/dislike? Food choices, hotels? Holding a smaller wedding is ideal since not everyone wants to spend an arm and a leg travelling, I just wondered what your experiences at destination weddings were.

I've been to a couple destination weddings, and both were fantastic times. First one was in Maui, other one was in Yosemite. (my wife went to another one from that same group of friends on Cape Cod that was considerably less fun, but that was down to the hosts not the location) It's taking a group vacation to, presumably, a really fun place and partying for 4-5 days and THEN having a sweet-azz party to cap it all off.

Can't say I'd recommend having one..... but I'm all about going to them.

mac5155 wrote:Dominican seems cheapest. Just make sure the guests you want to come will be able and willing to come.

That is where my sister is doing hers. Costs per person is roughly $3000 for 5 days and airfare. We are staying at the hardrock resort in Punta Cana.

I really wish my sister had a normal wedding. The cost is killing this poor college student. The worst part is I might not even be able to go because I graduate this semester and may be starting a job that won't allow me to take off at that time period.

^that is why i find destination weddings to be in poor taste. it is a financial obligation to those that are invited and sometimes is not a welcomed expense and comes at a time when a vacation is not convenient.

mac5155 wrote:Dominican seems cheapest. Just make sure the guests you want to come will be able and willing to come.

That is where my sister is doing hers. Costs per person is roughly $3000 for 5 days and airfare. We are staying at the hardrock resort in Punta Cana.

I really wish my sister had a normal wedding. The cost is killing this poor college student. The worst part is I might not even be able to go because I graduate this semester and may be starting a job that won't allow me to take off at that time period.

How? My honeymoon at a 5 star all inclusive with air for 2 is $4600. and that's 7 nights.

skullman80 wrote:I don't think I'd pay 3000$ to go to anyones wedding family member or not, no matter where it was held. That's just obscene that people would expect others to pay that.

Yeah, I had a giant fight with my sister about it. Pretty selfish and doesn't care about everyone that would want to go. Basically it's everyone on his side of the family is going because they have money and none of ours.

mac5155 wrote:Dominican seems cheapest. Just make sure the guests you want to come will be able and willing to come.

That is where my sister is doing hers. Costs per person is roughly $3000 for 5 days and airfare. We are staying at the hardrock resort in Punta Cana.

I really wish my sister had a normal wedding. The cost is killing this poor college student. The worst part is I might not even be able to go because I graduate this semester and may be starting a job that won't allow me to take off at that time period.

How? My honeymoon at a 5 star all inclusive with air for 2 is $4600. and that's 7 nights.

mac5155 wrote:Dominican seems cheapest. Just make sure the guests you want to come will be able and willing to come.

That is where my sister is doing hers. Costs per person is roughly $3000 for 5 days and airfare. We are staying at the hardrock resort in Punta Cana.

I really wish my sister had a normal wedding. The cost is killing this poor college student. The worst part is I might not even be able to go because I graduate this semester and may be starting a job that won't allow me to take off at that time period.

How? My honeymoon at a 5 star all inclusive with air for 2 is $4600. and that's 7 nights.

mac5155 wrote:Dominican seems cheapest. Just make sure the guests you want to come will be able and willing to come.

That is where my sister is doing hers. Costs per person is roughly $3000 for 5 days and airfare. We are staying at the hardrock resort in Punta Cana.

I really wish my sister had a normal wedding. The cost is killing this poor college student. The worst part is I might not even be able to go because I graduate this semester and may be starting a job that won't allow me to take off at that time period.

How? My honeymoon at a 5 star all inclusive with air for 2 is $4600. and that's 7 nights.

It has been my (limited) experience that the bride and groom planning the wedding won't do a destination event type thing until it has been vetted with the friends and family. Of the two-plus-one that I've been associated with, neither couple would have gone ahead with their plans if the loved ones wouldn't have been able to make it. (The third was actually from Cape Cod, so she was getting married in her hometown.)

One thing is certain; if you attend a destination wedding, that should seriously alter the couple's expectations on the gift giving front.

And something else to remember; if you live far away from your family and some friends (like both my wife and I do), then no matter where you get married it will be a 'destination wedding' for them. The first time my mom was able to come out here to visit since I moved in 1997 was for my wedding in 2006. And my wife and I paid the tab. All in all, we had about 9 or 10 out of 70 guests that had to fly in, and we just got married in Long Beach.